[katers]

hello, I just started beekeeping and I'm loving it. I live in central pennsylvania and I put in 2 packages in hives in my front yard a week and a half ago. So far I can't believe how much syrup the bees are taking but the weather has been great save for today.

I am so glad I didn't start with just one; the colonies are behaving quite differently. Hive #1 installed easily and is doing everything like the books say.

Hive #2 however was more rowdy to install and it's like a burr comb party. Plus they decided to start out on the very outside frame. I had to remove a tidal wave of burr comb twice and on my last visit I decided to take drastic measures and shift the frames toward the middle and put 2 empty ones on the end. I also had to scrape burr comb off the side of the hive body. I should have smeared the burr comb on the foundation but I am new to this and not thinking that far ahead I did let most of it fall to the SBB for them to clean up as they please.

Everything is going well otherwise, but I have noticed that the hive that is behaving more "normally" is now taking more syrup than the other. I assume that this is because I haven't had to bother them other than giving them fresh syrup every few days. The other hive is taking syrup but only 2/3rds as much as the other. I feed in gallon quail waters within empty supers and crumpled newspaper to fill up the extra space. I have gone through over 15 lbs of sugar in 10 days!

Planning to start a TBH at my house and 2 more Langs on a friends roof (bear history... flat roof) in early may. I'm sure I'll need lots of advice about that


Anyway, nice to be part of beesource!

Kate

 

[Sundance]

Welcome and glad you're here!

 

[indypartridge]

Hello and Welcome!

Sounds like you're off to a great start. This forum is a great resource for learning more. I'm a big user of the 'search' function: for many of my questions I can usually find several threads (no waiting for answers!).

Are you involved with a local bee club? Clubs are good places to find mentors and get connected to the local beekeeping community. Looks like there are a couple near you:
http://www.pastatebeekeepers.org/Reports/Map/Contacts and Inspectors.htm#

 

[peacekeeperapiaries]

welcome

 

[katers]

There is a wonderful club near me with great beekeepers. That is where I got set up with a great beekeeper who I got the early packages from.

I am also lucky because my husband takes care of the department of horticulture greenhouses at Penn State. He has been talking with the PSU beekeepers because they are increasing their hives around the greenhouses. The PSU people are great and are super willing to give advice.

I like beesource because I'm interested in doing weird things, I started out traditionally to get comfortable but I want to branch out. I want to build a bee condo and next year I am going to try to do a 2 queen system. I've had some discouragement from beekeepers who say that it "isn't worth all the work". But this is my hobby... the whole idea is to spend time on it. Beesource is great because every point of view is out there.

Also what is up with people feeling the hate for top bar hives and foundationless frames?

 

[laurelmtnlover]

Hi Kate,
I am a TBH beekeeper near Pgh. I have one hive that I started last year and made it through the winter. I will spit it into another TBH later this month if the weather continues to be conducive.
I PM's you with the name of a local TBH and warre beek in Penn State, nice guy, will give you any help you need.
Carrie

 

[MeriB]

Hi Kate. Welcome.I am starting out this year. I get my bees in 10 days. I am also experamenting and running a traditional and a top bar hive. I find that some people think if you cant use an extractor to get honey, then you are just playing around and not a "serious beekeeper". This is a hobby for me. I have 8 chickens because I like them, the eggs are a bonus. I want bees for similar reasons, to support them and I hope to get honey. Wax from the top bars will be a bonus soI can do soap or candles. Good luck to you.

 

[AmericasBeekeeper]

Welcome, radical beekeeping is easier than stealth beekeeping, where it is illegal.

 

[katers]

I also have chickens as pets as well as a few ducks. There seem to be quite a few hobby beekeepers that have chickens too.... interesting.

Meri B I know what you mean about the extractor. I want to get wax I don't mind sacrificing some honey yields in order to get it. There is a web site http://beekeeperlinda.blogspot.com that is really good. This woman, Linda, has a blog about her beekeeping adventures in Atlanta and she has really great videos about how to crush and strain and all sorts of other things. I find it very helpful.

 

[MeriB]

I will check it out. Thanks Kater.

 

[DaveinDeal]

welcome to the forum, im a newbie as well and started to late to get any bees so am waiting for the swarms.

t: me and my wife are very frugle and grow all our own veg, recycle everything we can use and yes we have 12 chickens, so that trate of beeks and chickens looks to be getting worse